Best Cities to Work in for Chemical Engineers

Did you know that there are currently more than 30,000 chemical engineers working in the United States? That’s right, and they’re working all over the country. But some cities are better to work in than others, and we’ve compiled a list for you of the Top 20 Best Cities to work in for chemical engineers.

When compiling the list, it’s important to note that they are ranked not just by income levels but by what is known as the Location Quotient. The location quotient measures the concentration of chemical engineers in the city as a proportion of all occupations relative to the national average. A higher location quotient can be inferred to mean a relatively high demand for chemical engineering services.

Top 5 cities to work in for chemical engineers

Before we get into the whole list, let’s first briefly go over the top 5 cities to work in for chemical engineers.

1. Houston, TX: Houston is one the largest cities in America and also one of the top-paying markets as well. Chemical engineers in Houston make on average $118,000 per year, 30 percent above the national average. Houston not only has a high number of chemical engineers, it has a high concentration compared to population ratio as well. Houston also has a very reasonable cost of living.

2. Beaumont, TX: Just to the east of Houston, Beaumont may not be as big but its many petrochemical plants and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico make it a great place for chemical engineers to make good money. Average salaries for chemical engineers in Beaumont are $108,000 per year. Beaumont also comes in as the best-deal city for cost of living expenses.

3. Baton Rouge, LA: The Mississippi River southeast from Baton Rouge to new Orleans is lined with petrochemical plants. Baton Rouge has one the highest concentration of chemical engineers on our list and an average salary of $108,000 per year.

4. Wilmington, DE: Wilmington might be a city of just 70,000 but an average salary of $124,000 per year is good enough to put in 4th on our list. Combine that with a very reasonable cost of living compared to salary and that’s why Wilmington comes in 4th.

5. Lake Charles, LA: A good combination of job abundance and good wages (average $100,000), combined with a reasonable cost of living put Lake Charles 5th on our list.